Janet Nguyen turns on the OCEA

From the OC Politics Blog

Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s campaign consultant, Dave Gilliard, has launched a blistering attack on the Voice of OC, an independent non-profit, non-partisan online media outlet, and the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA).

Gilliard’s attack is quite ironic given that Nguyen and her allies were caught red-handed this week, taking money from the Orange County Employees Association by The Orange County Register.

Could Gilliard’s attack be an attempt to change the issue from the fact that Nguyen and company took OCEA money, despite a county Republican Party ban on endorsing office seekers who accept political contributions from labor groups?

Here are a few excerpts from Gilliard’s attack:

• The self-described “non-profit investigative news agency” blog called Voice of OC has been conducting a relentless smear campaign geared towards keeping Republican candidate Janet Nguyen out of the California State Senate.
• Recently they have focused on Janet’s involvement in making the County Organized Health System (CalOptima) operations more accountable and transparent. One out of every 4 residents of Janet’s district utilize CalOptima. She is proud of her advocacy efforts on their behalf as a member of the CalOptima Board of Directors.

Wow!  The FBI and the FPPC are investigating Nguyen because of her takeover of CalOptima – and the resulting flow of campaign contributions to her coffers from the Orange County medical community.  Gilliard didn’t mention that of course.

Gilliard also lamented about the OCEA funding the Voice of OC:

• Some have asked why this Blog has taken such an interest in a smear campaign against Janet Nguyen? The answer should be obvious. Just follow the money. A check of the Voice of OC’s most recent IRS filings shows that nearly all of their funds come from labor unions and Democrat donors. A full 63% comes from a single public employee union – OCEA.  The remainder from Democrat/liberal donors or groups. These entities all have a huge stake in making sure State Senate Dems keep their 2/3rds super majority.

But no mention of course about the fact that:

CCFG (a PAC funded in great part by the OCEA) contributed money in 2010 to county Supervisor Janet Nguyen and her political allies Tony Lam, who was running for Midway Sanitary District, and Matthew Harper, who was running for Huntington Beach City Council, according to campaign finance records. CCFGW’s only donation to a political committee was a $1,800 donation in December 2012 to Nguyen’s campaign for supervisor, records show.

Sorry Gilliard – your client Nguyen cannot have it both ways.  You guys can’t rip the OCEA when you gladly took their money!  And it should be noted that the OCEA paid for Nguyen’s recount, back when she was first elected.  She has been their gal ever since – until now.

Let this be a lesson to the OCEA.  They need to do everything in their power now to defeat Nguyen, who is running for the 34th State Senate District.  It is time to take out the trash!

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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